The compound 8-fluoro-2-{4-[(methylamino)methyl]phenyl}-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-6H-azepino[5,4,3-cd]indol-6-one (“Compound 1”)
is a small molecule inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Compound 1, and methods of making it, are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,495,541; 6,977,298; 7,429,578 and 7,323,562. Certain salts and polymorphs thereof, of Compound 1, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,268,126 and in International Patent Publication No. WO 04/087713. Other publications describing Compound 1 and uses thereof include U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006-0074073, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,351,701 and 7,531,530.
PARP is a family of nuclear enzymes responsible for ADP-ribosylation (a post-translational protein modification) in which poly(ADP-ribosyl)transferases transfer the ADP-ribose moiety from NAD+ onto specific amino acid side chains on nuclear target proteins such as histones and DNA repair enzymes and/or onto previously attached ADP-ribose units. In humans the PARP family encompasses 17 enzymes of which PARP-1 is the best-characterized (Otto H, Reche P A, Bazan F et al, In silico characterization of the family of PARP-like poly(ADP-ribosyl)transferases (pARTs), BMC Genomics 2005; 6:139). Pharmacology studies have shown that Compound 1 is an inhibitor of PARP-1 (Ki=1.4 nM) and PARP-2 (Ki=0.17 nM).
PARP-1 is involved in DNA homeostasis through binding to DNA breaks and attracting DNA repair proteins to the site of DNA damage. PARP-1 through the addition of ADP-ribose units on target proteins provides the energetic resources necessary for chromatin relaxation and the DNA repair process. These actions promote and facilitate DNA repair. Depending on the extent of DNA damage PARP-1 activation and subsequent poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation mediate the repair of damaged DNA or induce cell death. When DNA damage is moderate, PARP-1 plays a significant role in the DNA repair process. Conversely, in the event of massive DNA damage, excessive activation of PARP-1 depletes the cellular ATP pool, which ultimately leads to cell mortality by necrosis (Tentori L, Portarena I, Graziani G, Potential applications of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inibitors, Pharmacol Res 2002; 45:73-85).
In cancer therapy, many useful drugs as well as ionizing radiation exert their therapeutic effect through DNA damage. Enzyme-mediatetd repair of single- or double-strand DNA breaks is a potential mechanism of resistance to radiotherapy or cytotoxic drugs whose mechanism of action depends on DNA damage. Inhibition of DNA repair pathway enzymes is thus a strategy for the potentiation of anticancer agents. Inhibition of PARP-1 has shown to potentiate the activity of DNA-damaging agents and ionizing radiation in vivo and in vitro. Accordingly, PARP has been identified as a therapeutic target for cancer therapy in combination with DNA damaging agents. (Tentori L, Leonetti C, Scarsella M, et al, Systemic administration of GPA 15427, a novel poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 inhibitor, increases the antitumor activity of temozolomide against intracranial melanoma, glioma, lymphoma, Clin Cancer Res 2003; 9:5370-9. Satoh M S, Poirier G G, Lindahl T, NAD(+)-dependent repair of damaged DNA by human cell extracts, J Biol Chem 1993; 268:5480-7.)
In addition to the potential role as chemopotentiator or radiosensitizer agents, more recent evidence has emerged of sensitivity of cell lines, homozygous for either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, to a PARP inhibitor alone. (Bryant H E, Schultz N, Thomas H D, et al, Specific killing of BRCA-2 deficient tumors with inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, Nature 2005; 434:913-7. Farmer H, McCabe N, Lord C J, et al, Targeting the DNA repair defect in BRCA mutant cells as a therapeutic strategy, Nature 2005; 434:917-21.) Preliminary clinical data from a Phase I study with a single-agent PARP inhibitor has recently been published (Yap T A, Boss D S, Fong M, et al, First in human phase I pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) study of KU-0059436 (Ku), a small molecule inhibitor of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) in cancer patients (p) including BRCA ½ mutation carriers, (J Clin Oncol 2007; 25 (Supplement June 20):3529).
It is desirable to have crystalline salts and polymorphic forms thereof that possess properties amenable to reliable formulation and manufacture.